Kerner is a Nazi spy who wants to find Atlantis in order to use its ancient and powerful technology to conquer the world. He is first seen with Indy at Barnett College, under the alias of "Mr. Smith". After unlocking a tiny statue and finding a metal bead inside, he steals the bead and statue at gunpoint. The bead is made of a powerful substance called "orichalcum", which Kerner and his superior, Dr. Hans Ubermann, want to use to create weapons of mass destruction.